Apparatus and process of sterilizing dental and other instruments.



1. P.F LAHERTY.'

APPARATUS AND PROCESS OF STERILIZING DENTAL AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS. APPLlCATlON FILED-FEB. 23.1917.

1 ,246 ,899 Patented Nov. 20, 1917 JAMES P. FLAHERTY, OF WEST BEND, WISCONSIN.

APPARATUS AND PROCESS OF STEBILIZING DENTAL AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed February 23, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES P. FLAHERTY, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of \Vest Bend, county of Washington, and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus and Processes of Sterilizing Dental and other Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in processes and apparatus for sterilizing dental and other instruments and other material. I am aware of the fact that such instruments have been heretofore sterilized by submitting them to heat from hot water from a blaze, and in a variety of other ways, but experience has proven that it takes many minutes to properly sterilize such instruments in hot water, and while a blaze or flame will do the work of sterilizing much quicker than water a flame in most instances will remove the temper, and otherwise destroy the instrument, while in case such instrument is wholly or partially covered with cotton or other inflammable substance such inflammable substance will be quickly burned and consumed the instant it is placed in a flame, while experience has proven that such instruments may be instantaneously sterilized by placing them in hot molten liquid metal when in a liquid state, without pro ducing any injurious effect upon such instruments. While mercury may in some instances be heated to the desired temperature and used for sterilizing dental and other instruments, 1 preferably use a fusible alloy of ordinary construction, which alloy will fuse and flow at a much lower temperature than an ordinary iron or brass receptacle, whereby I am able to fuse such alloy in an iron, brass or other receptacle over an ordinary alcohol or other blaze, and thereby retain such fusible alloy or other hot flowing metal in a convenient place for use, whereby I am enabled to properly sterilize such dental or other instruments in a moment of time, by simply submerging the same for an instant beneath the surface of such hot metal.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 20, 1917.

Serial No. 150,300.

My invention is further explained by reference to the accompanying drawing, the figure 1 of which represents a side view of one of many forms of devices which may be easily employed for heating a fusible alloy or other substance with a blaze of a lamp.

I am aware, however, that such alloy or other substance may be heated with electricity and in a variety of other ways.

The several parts are referred to by reference numerals.

1 is an ordinary lamp. 2 is a receptacle which may be made of iron, brass or any other material in which the fusibie alloy 3 is melted. The receptacle 2 is supported from the standard 4 by the adjustable bracket 5, and said bracket is secured at any desired elevation on the standard -l by turning forward the set screw 6. 7 is a plat form of ordinary construction.

It will, of course, be understood that any ordinary fusible alloy may be used for sterilizing the instruments, or, if desired, mercury or other liquid metal may be heated over any desirable flame, preparatory to sterilizing the instrument. The instruments are sterilized by being immersed in the liquid 3, which is heated to a temperature which will cause the same to flow.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A receptacle, an alloy held in such receptacle, fusible at a temperature suflicient to sterilize dental and other instruments, and means for heating the alloy.

2. A method for sterilizing dental instruments, comprising immersing such instru ments in a bath of fusible alloy held molten at a temperature above that of boiling water and below that at which the temper of said instruments may be drawn.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES P. FLAHERTY.

Witnesses:

O. C. WEBER, JAs. B. ERWIN.

(topics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Baton, Washington, D. 0. 

